How It Works: A Real Slide, Wrapped in Real Stone
People often ask us for a "rock slide." Here is what that really is. The part you ride is a fiberglass or plastic slide made by a slide manufacturer. It is smooth, safe, and built for the job. No one makes a riding surface out of rock.
What we add is the stonework. We buy the slide, install it to the maker's requirements, and build a natural stone waterfall around it. The frame, the legs, and the plumbing disappear behind boulders. Water runs down the rocks beside the slide. The slide looks like it was always part of the yard.
Natural stone waterfalls are the only thing Aquatic Artists builds. That is why our slides look different from a slide that is simply bolted to the deck.
Pool Slide Installation: The Slides We Install
| Our tier | The slide | Made by | Slide and waterfall project |
|---|---|---|---|
| Classic | Typhoon, TurboTwister | S.R. Smith (a Fluidra brand) | $25,000 to $60,000 |
| Deluxe | 15-foot Garden Ride | S.R. Smith | $60,000 to $90,000 |
| Ultimate | Custom slides, built to the length and shape of your project | Dolphin, Paradise Slides | From $90,000 |
Already picked out a slide, or already own one? Tell us the model. We will check that it fits your pool and deck, and quote the installation and the stonework.
Three Ways to Build It
Classic: open back
Our Classic slides are the S.R. Smith Typhoon and TurboTwister. Each comes with its own built-in ladder. We build rockwork and a waterfall around the front of the slide, the side you see from the pool and patio. The back stays open, and swimmers climb the slide's own ladder. This is the most space-saving and cost-saving way to get a slide that looks built-in.
Classic: with stone steps
The same slide, with more stonework. We build natural stone steps with a landing and safety railings to about halfway up the ladder, 3 to 4 feet. Swimmers walk up real steps for the first half of the climb. It is safer for children, and the slide looks far more like part of the waterfall.
Deluxe: the 15-foot Garden Ride, with full stone steps
Our Deluxe slide is the S.R. Smith Garden Ride, a 15-foot fiberglass slide on a steel frame, set on a concrete footing. It has no ladder of its own. We build up the ground and add full natural stone steps, in the same stone as the waterfall, with an even step height for safe footing. It needs more space and more water than a Classic.
Ultimate: a custom Dolphin or Paradise slide
An Ultimate slide is made to order by Dolphin or Paradise Slides, in the length and shape your project calls for. It is usually part of a large waterfall or grotto. It needs the most space, the most water, and the most stonework.
See examples: Classic pool slides, Deluxe pool slides, Ultimate pool slides.
Waterfall Slides for Inground Pools
A waterfall slide joins a working slide and a natural stone waterfall into one feature. The slide entry, the falling water, and the rockwork are planned together. The design review looks at where swimmers get in and out, the path they walk to the ladder or steps, the water depth where the slide ends, the pump flow for the falls, and where boulders and planting pockets frame the slide.
A slide can also be paired with a swim-under grotto, or with jumping rocks.
A Bare Slide or a Slide With Stonework?
| Slide alone on the deck | Slide with an Aquatic Artists waterfall | |
|---|---|---|
| The slide itself | Manufactured fiberglass or plastic | The same manufactured slide |
| What you see | Legs, frame, and ladder | Boulders and falling water |
| Water | A spray line on the slide | A natural stone waterfall beside the slide |
| Climbing up | The ladder | The ladder, or stone steps with a landing and railings |
| Fit with the yard | Looks like equipment | Looks built-in |
Most of our customers choose the second one. It is what we are known for. If you only want a slide installed, with no stonework, we do that too. Tell us the model and we will quote the installation.
What a Pool Slide Project Costs
These ranges cover the slide and the natural stone waterfall built around it, installed:
- Classic slide and waterfall projects: $25,000 to $60,000
- Deluxe slide and waterfall projects: $60,000 to $90,000
- Ultimate slide and waterfall projects: from $90,000
A standalone slide installed without stonework costs less and is quoted by the job. We give a written quote after a design review. The things that move the price most:
- The slide model you choose. The slide is bought from the manufacturer.
- The build style: open back, stone steps to halfway, or full stone steps.
- How much rockwork and waterfall surrounds the slide.
- Stone choice.
- Footings and structure. Larger slides need a concrete footing and ground build-up.
- Plumbing and pump capacity for the slide's water line and the waterfall.
- Site access for equipment and stone.
- New pool or existing pool.
- Options: safety railings, lighting, pairing with a grotto.
See our pool waterfall cost guide.
Safety, Depth, Layout & Access
Every slide manufacturer sets rules for its slide: the water depth where the slide ends, the clear space around the exit, and how far the slide sits from the pool edge. We install to those rules and to local pool code. We check your pool's depth and shape before we recommend a model.
Layout matters as much as the slide. We plan where the ladder or steps sit, which way the slide curves, and where swimmers land, so the slide does not crowd ladders, swim lanes, or seating. Stone steps are built with an even step height and non-slip stone. Railings are added where they are wanted. We review site access early, because it shapes both the design and the build.
Adding a Slide to an Existing Pool
Most of our slides go on pools that are already built. We start with a site visit. We check the water depth at the landing, the deck space, the pool structure, the plumbing and pump, and the access for stone delivery. Then we recommend a slide model that fits and draw the stonework around it.
If you are thinking about other upgrades, the same visit can plan a waterfall, a grotto, or jumping rocks. Learn more on our waterfall renovations page.
Homeowners across Bucks County, PA, from Doylestown to Newtown, have chosen our slides for their pools.
Pool Slide Project Gallery
Pool slides installed by Aquatic Artists across New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, and Maryland. Classic, Deluxe, and Ultimate slides, each with natural stone built around it.
Browse the full project gallery for more pool waterfalls, grottos, and slides.
Pool Slide FAQ
Is a rock slide made of rock?
No. The part you ride is a manufactured fiberglass or plastic slide from S.R. Smith, Dolphin, or Paradise Slides. We build natural stone and a waterfall around it, so it looks like it is part of the rocks.
Which pool slides do you install?
The S.R. Smith Typhoon and TurboTwister (our Classic slides), the S.R. Smith 15-foot Garden Ride (our Deluxe slide), and custom slides from Dolphin and Paradise Slides (our Ultimate slides). Tell us which one you have in mind and we will check that it fits your pool.
Can you add a slide to an existing pool?
Often yes. It depends on the water depth at the landing, the deck space, and the plumbing. We check those on a site visit before we recommend a slide.
How deep does my pool need to be?
Each slide model has its own depth and clearance rules from the manufacturer. We install to those rules and to local code, and we choose the model to fit your pool.
What is the difference between Classic, Deluxe, and Ultimate?
A Classic is an S.R. Smith Typhoon or TurboTwister, a stand-alone slide with its own ladder. We add rockwork around the front, and stone steps and railings if you want them. A Deluxe is the 15-foot S.R. Smith Garden Ride on a concrete footing with full stone steps. An Ultimate is a custom Dolphin or Paradise slide, usually part of a large waterfall or grotto.
Do I need stone steps?
On a Classic, no. A Typhoon or TurboTwister works with its own ladder, and the back can stay open. Stone steps with a landing and railings to about halfway up make the climb safer, and the slide looks more built-in.
Can a slide be combined with a waterfall or grotto?
Yes. That is what we do on every slide. The slide, the falling water, and the rockwork are built as one feature.
How much does a pool slide with a waterfall cost?
Classic slide and waterfall projects run $25,000 to $60,000. Deluxe projects run $60,000 to $90,000. Ultimate projects start at $90,000. The price depends on the slide, the build style, and how much stonework surrounds it. We give a written quote after a design review.
Will you install just the slide, with no rockwork?
Yes. We install standalone Typhoon, TurboTwister, and Garden Ride slides. Most customers add stonework, because that is what makes the slide look built-in, but it is your choice.
Where do you work?
New Jersey, eastern Pennsylvania including Philadelphia, Delaware, and Maryland.
A pool slide waterfall from Aquatic Artists typically costs $25,000–$90,000, installed across NJ, PA, DE, and MD, depending on size, stone, and design.
How much does a pool slide waterfall cost?
A pool slide waterfall from Aquatic Artists typically costs $25,000 to $90,000, installed across NJ, PA, DE, and MD, depending on size, stone, and design. Classic, Deluxe, and Ultimate tiers vary by size and added features (lighting, fire, multiple tiers). Every project is custom-quoted. Contact Aquatic Artists for a free quote.